


Recovery

by TheSoundOfThunderstorms



Series: Nightmares [3]
Category: Overwatch (Video Game)
Genre: F/F, a lot of hiccups along the road to recovery, more healing, third part to nightmares
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-05-04
Updated: 2018-05-04
Packaged: 2019-05-02 00:25:19
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,412
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14532663
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheSoundOfThunderstorms/pseuds/TheSoundOfThunderstorms
Summary: It took time for them both to recover.





	Recovery

**Author's Note:**

> Hopefully, this is the last part of the Nightmare series. I have a lot of stories I want to write but I had to get this out first. Enjoy :)

Sombra felt light in her arms. The arm she had wrapped around Widowmaker’s neck barely had any weight to it. She kept her other arm tucked close to her body like she dreaded the idea of exposing it to the world any longer.

Widowmaker stopped in front of her room. The door opened with a touch and she took them inside. A chuckle came from Sombra and Widowmaker could feel her fingers scrunching up the back of her shirt.

“It smells like you in here.” A sigh escaped Sombra’s lip when Widowmaker placed her on the bed. She rolled over on the covers and buried her head in a pillow. “Tell me about one of them,” Sombra mumbled through the pillowcase.

The bed gave way as Widowmaker took a seat. She had an idea what Sombra was asking for. “The nightmares?”

Sombra closed her eyes and shook her head. She reached behind her and took Widowmaker’s hand, giving it an encouraging squeeze.

“You weren’t back from your assignment. I asked Gabriel where you were but all he could say was that you were missing.” Widowmaker paused when a comforting thumb ran along her knuckles. “You never came. I waited and waited because we were supposed to go back to the chateau that night and you never came.”

Their hands moved. Sombra brought them around her waist, her eyes still closed in concentration. “When I came back home, I waited again. It wasn’t until I got a call from Gabriel that I knew I would have been waiting for an eternity.”

Her heart beat a second faster as Widowmaker remembered the next part. “He sent me a photo of you. I saw the bullet in your head and in the next moment, I was standing in the middle of my room, everything torn apart.” Her hand twitched in Sombra’s grasp, remembering the dreamt feeling of smashing furniture. “It was unbelievably hot and I couldn’t breathe. The world caved in on me when I found our photo on the ground.

Silence filled the air when Widowmaker stopped to filter the recollection from her mind. “I woke up to a message from you.”

“That’s when you called me.”

“Yes, I wanted to know that your message was real.”

“You hung up on me.”

A pause. “I think I threw the holopad on the floor.”

“Why?”

“Because you made some remark that indicated you might not come back.”

Sombra squeezed Widowmaker’s hand. She stayed quiet, her thumb smoothing over cold skin in contemplation. She spoke after Widowmaker entertained the idea that she might have fallen asleep. “I just want to lie here for a bit. Stay with me?”

She couldn’t say no, not after months of wanting nothing more than to feel Sombra in her arms. Even though Widowmaker couldn’t fall asleep, she stayed there with Sombra for hours, long after Sombra had fallen asleep. It was only after Sombra started groaning that she finally moved.

“Gabe’s calling me.” Sombra’s eyes creaked open only for her to shut them tight again. She groaned again, holding a hand to her head. Turning over, Sombra coughed. She coughed again and again until a sharp intake of breath broke the rhythm.

“I think I need to go back.”

Widowmaker looked down, eyes taking in the black blood splattered between them. It spilled from Sombra’s lips, oozing from the crevices of her fingers as she tried to somehow hold it back. She barely registered that she was moving, only recognizing that one moment she was lying next to Sombra and in the next she was speeding through the hallway, rushing to get Sombra back to the medbay.

“Decided to come back did we?” Moira raised an eyebrow at the pair as Widowmaker carried Sombra inside. She noticed the blood a second later and stood up from the counter she was leaning on. “Just put her on the bed.”

Widowmaker put Sombra down and cleared some space between them. She watched as Moira barked orders to the other medics. A flurry of staff whizzed by her, some accidentally knocking into Widowmaker as they hooked up wire after wire and got an IV drip going. The frenzied beating of the heart monitor set her own pulse on fire, the blood burning through her veins at the sight of Sombra thrashing about in pain.

For only a second Moira turned her head to regard Widowmaker. “Come back later Lacroix.”

It was the middle of the night when Widowmaker finally came back. She held a container of fruit in her hands, slowly making her way to Sombra’s bed. Moira stopped her before she could reach it.

“I would advise against pulling that same stunt again. She’s still in recovery and needs steady treatment. I designed the solution to seek out compromised areas in the body and regenerate the cells by replicating the genetic material. After today’s…episode, I finally learned just how it accomplishes that.” Moira paused, her eyes flitting to the dark liquid swirling in the IV. “It’s suffice to say that until she is fully recovered, the IV stays in.”

Widowmaker nodded, carefully studying Moira’s face for any sign that she had more to say. When nothing came, she walked past her to Sombra’s bedside. After the longwinded reprimand, she was hesitant to take a seat. Instead, she watched Sombra sleep for a couple minutes before placing the container of peeled oranges on the bedside table and leaving.

The IV bag was back to being full and something about that fact unnerved her.

-

Widowmaker came in the next day to see Sombra staring out the window. She sat down, noticing the empty container sitting in Sombra’s lap.

“Tell me another one.”

“You were smiling at me through a window. You had a data chip in your hand, holding it to the glass with a thumbs up. And then there was blood splattered across the window, a man coming up from behind to look at me instead.”

Her finger twitched. “I shot him. I shot him three times.”

Sombra stared out the window for a bit longer. She finally looked away to smile at Widowmaker. “Moira told me what that stuff does.” She pointed to the bag. “It acts as a placeholder, filling in for the missing functions until my body recovers.” Her smile widened as tears brimmed in her eyes. “She showed me a scan.” Sombra’s lips trembled, her smile break with each passing moment. “It’s everywhere.” A tear spilled over and she clutched the railing. “I don’t know if I’ll ever get out of here.” Her knuckles went white as she clamped down tighter.

It was automatic, she didn’t even need to think. Widowmaker got up from her chair and kicked off her shoes. She climbed over the railing and pulled Sombra into her side. 

Sombra buried her head in Widowmaker’s shoulder at the contact. Her sobbing picked up and she clutched at Widowmaker’s shirt, nails prickling her skin through the fabric.

A comforting hand ran through Sombra’s hair. Widowmaker lied there for all the tears, calming every hiccup that escaped from Sombra. It was all she could do.

-

Weeks later, Sombra was smiling in a hoverchair when Widowmaker walked in. Moira was busy attaching something to Sombra’s arm and didn’t notice her arrival.

“This is designed to administer a dosage every four hours. There’s enough in there for twenty-four hours.” Moira backed away after securing the last strap. “Come here in the morning for testing and a refill. I’ll adjust the amount needed depending on the scans.”

Sombra looked as if she was paying half attention. She was too busy smiling at Widowmaker. A small kick against the ground sent Sombra spinning in Widowmaker’s direction. Widowmaker caught the chair after a couple of spins. “You heard her, I’m out of here until next morning.” Her smile somehow got bigger. “You, me, breakfast?”

“You just want me to cook for you.” Widowmaker pushed the chair of the medbay and headed towards the kitchen.

“There’s just something about a homecooked meal, especially one from the woman you love.”

The chair stopped in the middle of the hallway. Widowmaker felt her lips curve up at the sentiment. She continued pushing the chair when Sombra looked up at her to ask why they stopped.

-

Steam hung in the air. Widowmaker couldn’t breathe without taking in a lungful of hot air but that was how Sombra liked it and it wasn’t as if she was suffocating. For the past ten minutes, Sombra sat in the bathtub and stared at the water. Her eyes moved across the water like she was physically sorting through her thoughts.

Widowmaker opened her mouth to speak. Before she could get a word out, Sombra suddenly dumped a cup of water over her head. She ran her fingers through her hair, searching for any conditioner that might have been left over.

And then she laughed.

“I have so much hair now.” Sombra’s fingers never stopped running through her hair. They kept going, each time increasing the pressure until they started to shake. She squeezed her skull tight and suddenly let go. Her hand dropped into the water and she looked at Widowmaker. “Sorry, I know it’s stupid to get bent out of shape from something like my hair,” she let out a shaky breath, “I just don’t feel like I’m me.”

Sombra’s eyes dropped to the device strapped to her arm. “I feel myself going insane each day I have to feel this shit moving around.” She clutched it with her other hand before letting go. The room went silent for a moment.

A loud banging sounded from the tub and water splashed over the side. “It’s driving me crazy.” Sombra slammed the device against the bathtub again. “It’s driving me crazy.” A cracking sound filled the room as she continued to smash it on the same spot over and over.

Widowmaker kicked off her slippers and hurried to the tub. The water swirled with red as Sombra’s blood spilled. She grabbed Sombra’s arm and held it still while she climbed into the water. “You’re hurting yourself.”

“I hate this.” Sombra tried to yank her arm back. “I want it to stop.” She tried to pull her arm back again to no avail. “I want it to stop.”

Widowmaker let the arm drop into the water. She reached forward to cup Sombra’s face and kissed her. Sombra lifted her hands from the water and held onto Widowmaker’s shoulders, drenching her shirt in the pink water.

Sombra pulled Widowmaker in close, drenching every bit of clothing she wore. When she couldn’t hold in the sobs any longer, she pulled away and rested her head on Widowmaker’s shoulder, letting all the tears spill over as her lips trembled with pent-up agony.

The water splashed over the side when Widowmaker moved. Her arms wrapped around Sombra and she picked her up out of the water. Widowmaker managed to grab a towel as she walked out of the bathroom, a trail of red-tinted water spilling behind her.

She set Sombra on the bed, covering her shivering body with the towel. Her hand stilled the shaking in Sombra’s arm and she worked on the straps that kept the device strapped to Sombra’s arm. Widowmaker let it fall to the ground.

Pulling a medkit from her drawer, Widowmaker took out the tweezers and sat next to Sombra. She held onto the injured arm and got to work picking out the glass embedded in the torn skin. “I have to take you back.”

“I know.”

“You’ll probably have to spend the night until she can make you a new one.” Widowmaker paused. She wrapped the wound in bandages to busy herself as she questioned what to do next. “Do you want me to stay with you?”

Sombra reached over for Widowmaker’s hand, hooking their fingers together. “Please.”

-

Sombra sat quietly in her hoverchair. She stared at one of the parallel bars in front of her. “Yesterday was a two-hour shit show, I’m not doing this again.”

Halfway through the parallel bars, Widowmaker patiently waited for Sombra to stand up. “If you can get to me, I’ll give you a kiss.”

“You kiss me every day.”

“Then I’ll stop if you don’t try.”

Sombra frowned. She stared at the parallel bars again for another minute before sighing. “You play dirty.” She slowly stood up from the chair and gripped the bars in front of her. Her limbs shook but she kept standing. One step. Sombra bowed her head and winced in pain. She clenched her jaw and took another step. After a couple more steps, she leaned over and huffed into the arm. The shaking took over her entire body. “I’m going to fall.”

Widowmaker dove down, catching Sombra before she hit the padded flooring.

“How much longer do I have to be here?” Sombra squeezed her eyes shut and focused on taking deep breathes.

“Fifty minutes.”

A sigh. “Okay. Help me back up?”

She helped Sombra stand up, letting go when Sombra had a firm grip on the bars. Widowmaker watched a determined look cover Sombra’s face. She paid close attention to the slow steps Sombra took and how she sucked in a breath with each movement. The next fall was so sudden, Widowmaker couldn’t catch Sombra before she hit the floor.

Sombra lied there, her hand messing with the device on her arm. A tear spilled down her cheek and she rolled away from Widowmaker.

Getting up on her knees, Widowmaker touched Sombra’s arm, pulling it away from the device. “You won’t walk in a day.”

“I know. I’m just frustrated.”

Widowmaker let go of Sombra’s arm. “I’ll bring the physical therapist back.” She made to get up when Sombra reached behind and grabbed her hand.

“Don’t go.”

She nodded, even though Sombra couldn’t see her.

“Tell me another one.”

Widowmaker sat back down and ran her ringers through Sombra’s hair. She still didn’t know why Sombra kept asking but she still answered each time.

“You didn’t come out of the warehouse we were targeting. I tried to get in contact with you. The channel opened right when the warehouse went up in flames. I heard you scream before the line went dead.”

Sombra turned around, revealing the hot tears running down her cheeks. “Help me up?”

Looking down at Sombra, Widowmaker pulled her onto her lap. She leaned forward and rested her chin on Sombra’s shoulder, making no other indication that she was going to do anything more.

“I thought I still had to do this for an hour.”

“You do.”

Sombra relaxed into the hold. “Okay.”

-

A dropship landed on the roof. Widowmaker saw Gabriel come barreling out, shotguns ready. The hot tears burned down her cheeks and she made no effort to hide them from him.

Gabriel dropped the guns when he reached Widowmaker. “What did you do?”

She looked away from him, repeating the same phrase that echoed in her mind. “It was a mistake.”

Gabriel repeated his question, grabbing Widowmaker’s shoulder to have her look at him. “What did you do?” When Widowmaker refused to answer him, he let go of her and got on his knees. One touch to Sombra’s neck had him sigh. “Get on the ship.”

The sudden thunder jolted Widowmaker out of her trance. She gave a jagged nod and walked to the dropship as the rain started to fall. Widowmaker took a seat and tried not to concentrate on the uncontrollable way her hands shook.

Gabriel walked inside a minute later, Sombra in his arms. He laid her on the ground and took a seat next to her. On the floor, he balled up his hands and groaned in frustration. Looking back to Widowmaker, he took his mask off, anger coloring his eyes.

Reaching into his pocket, Gabriel pulled out his holopad. Moira’s face came into view a moment later. “Where are you?”

“Same as always Reyes.”

“I need you to come back.”

“Has something urgent happened? I’m in the middle of research.”

Gabriel pointed the camera at Sombra’s body.

Moira raised an eyebrow, seeming to understand what Gabriel wanted. “I haven’t even tested it yet, let alone have enough to administer.”

“Then make more.”

“There’s no guarantee it will work. There is a time window.”

“I’m not asking you again.”

Moira frowned and nodded. “Very well.”

The screen went blank and Gabriel tossed the holovid across the ship.

-

Darkness filled her vision when Widowmaker woke up. She blinked a few times and registered that she was in her room. Sombra shifted beside her, murmuring something in the air. Widowmaker stayed still and tried not to bother Sombra any more than she already had.

The murmuring continued when Widowmaker didn’t respond. Sombra’s eyes opened and she sleepily propped herself up on an elbow. “Hey, did it happen again?” She touched Widowmaker’s shoulder, the haze of sleep in her eyes morphing to concern.

“Yes.”

Sombra grabbed Widowmaker’s hand and pressed it to her chest. Widowmaker could feel the deep thumping beneath warm skin. The steady heartbeat smoothed away the troubling remnants of her memories.

“I’m here. I’m here and I’m alive.”

Widowmaker leaned over, pressing her forehead to Sombra’s. “Thank you.”

“You want to go back to sleep?” Sombra leaned back to look at the time. 5 am.

“No.”

Sombra scooted to the edge of the bed and slid into her hover chair. She patted her lap invitingly. “You mind keeping me company then?”

Hesitation kept Widowmaker rooted to the spot. She didn’t want to further agitate Sombra’s weak muscles. One look of that shining smile had her inching towards the edge of the bed. Sombra pulled her the rest of the way in, happily resting her chin on Widowmaker’s shoulder.

On the way to the kitchen, Sombra remarked on how convenient it was to hover everywhere. She loved how she could still carry Widowmaker even though her body wasn’t up for the job.

Sombra stopped her chair and waved to the other occupant of the room. Akande sat at the table, a pile of empty dishes sitting in front of him. He put down his glass of water when he noticed their arrival.

“How is your recovery coming along Sombra?” He smirked. “It has been quiet without you.”

Sombra smiled at the sentiment. “I’ve got my rock right here.” She cleared her throat and did her best impression of him. “The suffering has made me strong.”

Akande blinked at the impression and laughed. He got up from the table, a tall pile of dishes in hand. “I can see it already.”

Rolling her eyes, Sombra scoffed at the genuine response. “I don’t feel that strong.”

“Give it time.” He disappeared into the kitchen for a moment before coming back. Akande switched his attention to Widowmaker, keeping eye contact with her. “Lacroix.”

There was a certain vulnerability Widowmaker experienced at letting him see her as she was but she stared back.  

“I hear you’ve been taking care of my protégé.”

“Yeah right, ‘protégé’,” said Sombra. “He’s just saying that.”

“I’m serious. Who else is going to transform the world if I died?”

“Well, I’m not going to do it by punching shit. Besides, running things isn’t my style.”

“Of course.” Akande laughed and focused back on Widowmaker. “I’ve known Sombra a long time, it’s good to see you’re helping her get stronger.”

Widowmaker didn’t know if there was another meaning behind his words. She wasn’t sure if he was referring to her being the reason for why Sombra was in her current state but she nodded nonetheless.

It sounded like all the air left Sombra’s lungs at once when Akande gave her a heavy pat on the back. He laughed at the response and walked away.

“I’ll give him a good punch one day, show him how it feels to have nothing in your lungs.” Sombra coughed as the air filled her chest again. She moved the chair into the kitchen when her breathing evened out.

Widowmaker slid out of Sombra’s lap and opened the refrigerator. She didn’t have much of a chance to pick what she wanted to eat when Sombra spoke.

“What do you feel like eating?”

She watched Sombra stand up from the chair, how she held onto the counter for support. “You don’t have to. I can do it.”

“I want to.”

Those desperate eyes told Widowmaker that she needed to do it, that it was so much more than a passing want. “Tartine and espresso.”

Sombra smirked. “You’re giving me a run for my money here.” The smirk faded and Sombra gripped the counter. Her eyes closed and her breathing slowed.

The way Sombra’s arm shook caught Widowmaker’s eye like she was using all her willpower to keep it still. The remaining liquid from the dispenser disappeared into Sombra’s arm.

Sombra unclenched her fingers from the counter and sighed in relief. “Looks like I need a refill.” She touched her left arm for a moment before letting it fall limply at her side. “But breakfast first, yeah?”

“Okay.”

Breakfast went quicker than expected but Widowmaker figured that Sombra wanted to get the tests over with as soon as possible so they could go back to the lazy day Sombra had planned.

When they arrived at the medbay, Moira immediately noticed their presence.

“Just in time.” Moira gestured towards the bed, several machines already ready for testing.

Sombra parked her chair at the medbay entrance and stood up. She took shaky steps to the bed, sitting down with a victorious smile on her face. Sombra had expressed many times how she hated tripping in front of Moira because it made her seem helpless, like she was going to come up with some insane new treatment regimen if she wasn’t careful enough.

“I see your physical therapy is going well.” Moira attached the equipment to Sombra and took down the readings as soon as they appeared. “Your temperature is elevated. Are you experiencing any symptoms of infection or sickness?”

“I always run a little warm.”

“You’re warmer than normal.”

“Oh! That might be from the burning passion of my love.”

Moira blinked and then jotted something on her tablet. “We’ll keep an eye on it.” She tapped on her tablet again and turned it around for Sombra to see. “The scans show a significant increase in cell regeneration. I’d like to lower the dosage.”

Eyes wide in disbelief, Sombra snatched the tablet out of Moira’s hands. “It’s going to be all me one day.”

“Yes, you are showing improvement. Considering the circumstances surrounding your treatment, the results are remarkable to say the least.”

Sombra stuck a hand out, grabbing at the air until Widowmaker took the empty palm. She looked at Widowmaker with watery eyes. “I’m going to be okay.” A tear fell down her cheek and she squeezed Widowmaker’s hand tighter. “I’m going to be okay.”

-

Her dreams were silent. The recurring dream that ate away at her sleep became a distant memory. Widowmaker woke up that morning feeling enraptured by a sense of calm. She turned her head, seeing Sombra curled up beside her. Her fingers moved on their own to touch the sleeping woman’s face. At the sight of Sombra’s nose scrunching up, Widowmaker felt the corner of her lips twitch upwards.

Sombra’s eyelids fluttered open at the continued touch. “You’re awake.” A yawn. “Are you okay?”

“Yes.”

“Did you have the dream again?”

“No.” Sombra yawned again and rested her head against Widowmaker’s arm. She could feel a smile forming against her skin.

“I know this seems random but do you have a favorite number?”

“No.”

A laugh. “I figured. How do you feel about the number ten?”

“It’s a number.”

“Great!”

Widowmaker was unsure where Sombra was trying to take the conversation. “I’m not following.”

“My physical therapist said I should try a sport to work out my range of motion. She mentioned basketball and I got the greatest idea.” Her smile spread wider on Widowmaker’s skin. “You and me both learn how to play and then we’ll do a face off.” Sombra narrowed her eyes. “You’re not a secret basketball champ are you?”

“No.”

“Then it’s perfect. What do you say?”

There was no appeal to learning basketball but the excitement on Sombra’s face was more than enough to convince her to try. “Okay.”

“I’m so glad you said yes because I already ordered our custom uniforms for the face off.”

“Are they purple?”

“You know it.”

“Then I’ll forgive you just this once.”

-

“Thank you.”

Gabriel looked behind him before going back to stare off the roof. “I didn’t do it for you.”

“I know.”

“You could have saved her. All this didn’t have to happen.”

Widowmaker took a seat next to him, feet dangling off the edge. Her fingers glossed along the basketball shorts she wore. “I know.”

“Are you still scared?”

She paused, feeling the question turned around in her mind a thousand times over. “Yes.” She kicked her feet, moving her legs in an even rhythm. “It won’t happen again.”

“I know.”

Silence settled as understanding bloomed between them. The real nightmare happened when she gave up.

“Sombra wants you to see the game.”

Gabriel grunted. “Akande put his money on her. I bet on you.”

“She’s crafty you know.”

“So you’re saying I might as well give him the money now?” He paused. “You’re not going to throw the game, are you?”

“No, she wouldn’t like that.”

“Then I’ll keep my money on you.”

Gabriel stood up and Widowmaker followed. When they got to the gym, Widowmaker caught the ball Sombra bounced to her.

“Took you long enough. I was beginning to think that I’d win by forfeit.” Sombra reached behind and tightened her ponytail. Her hair was still longer than normal, the implants still covered. Widowmaker had offered to cut her hair but Sombra refused. She didn’t want to change it until she was 100 percent recovered.

Widowmaker bounced the ball once and tossed it across the court. It landed cleanly into the net. From the corner of her eye, she watched Gabriel take a seat next to Akande. He pointed to the clean throw, saying something to the other man. Akande laughed and just shook his head.

“That was a lucky shot and it doesn’t count because the game hasn’t started.”

A smirk formed at the disbelief in Sombra’s voice. “Of course.”

 

 


End file.
